Protection creates wealth
RECENTLY, a medical doctor phoned her husband as she suffered a flat tyre on her way home from work.
It was late evening when he arrived to change the tyre. Unexpectedly, armed men appeared and stole both cars. The middle aged couple was left naked in the bush.
Some would say: “Thank God they were not raped or killed.”
This is our irony, where surviving crime is held as a victory. Poverty and inequality rise where fear exists. Fear similar to love is a potent emotion that dictates conduct. Often fear is stronger than love and some do things out of fear they would rarely do for love.
For example, an associate recently said he stays close to home and rarely drives at night because of the information at his disposal.
Since social media is all over, some community associations have added a crime indicator to their daily reports. So whenever anything happens in the suburb, members get notified.
Ironically, this creates added communal fear where non-existed. To know or not to know, that is the question. Similarly, an associate has a large house which is currently too big for his family. He bought it, looking forward to his kids growing up and needing the space. In the meantime, he let the space for income. Sadly, his father took ill and needed care, and my friend asked the tenants to vacate the property within three months as per the agreement.
After three months, the tenant refused to move and drama ensured.
My associate hired an attorney who took some time to compel the tenant to move.
After paying tax and higher rates of municipal levies for electricity, water and sewerage, my associate grasped that being a landlord was not as profitable as he had envisioned.
The vindictive tenant broke tiling, door hinges and granite tops only to plead ignorance and poverty when this was brought to his attention.
To rid himself of the annoyance, the owner was left with little option but to repair at his own expense.
Across Cape Town there are many who need housing and can pay. Oddly there are many homes, apartments, etc that remain empty because of an emotion – fear.
Many homeowners and possible landlords are hesitant as tenants have too many rights.
Ordinary property owners are regarded as likely tyrants and bullies; and tenants are held to be innocent and oppressed victims.
This bitter drama plays out daily while justice lays by the wayside.
Those who pity tenants rarely consider the family who owns the property for rental.
Perhaps this income pays the school or university fees or a bank loan. Is this not an investor’s right?
So when tenants ruin the property and refuse to leave, after months of legalities, the homeowner continually loses.
It does not make great sense that President Jacob Zuma and his entourage visit global capitals seeking investment when some amid his comrades overtly relish nationalisation.
What is required for investment and job creation is simple: establish safety and security for all and inspire local investment by protecting existing local investors from suffering needless abuse.
When the government can protect families from robbery and being stripped naked, more locals will travel and visit holiday locations in our country.
By protecting the homeowner from spending time in court defending his/her property rights, more money will be invested into housing.
This will reduce pressure on governmental housing departments.
Locals have money, but fear of insecurity inhibits them.
We are often our own enemies and waiting and seeking foreign investment sounds like a sad joke.